All About the Birds

Here are some of this year's flock at the National Agricultural Center (the Ag), moved in 

last Thursday, thanks to my friend Wayne Schuler's help, and Diane Larsen getting them 

for us from a friend. 

They are Cinnamon Queens (red), two Ameracaunas, (one is in that picture),

Minorcas, an odd choice of breeds for our area... and the two white girls are 

mysteries, maybe California Whites, but older, if you look at her face you will see it is 

all washed out. 

There are 15 total. 

They have really not settled in yet, they were moved twice in a week, and are totally bewildered, but 

the hen house was bedded down and they have good food and water. 

And then, it snowed.  Easter Sunday.  Mother Nature is confused. 

The first eggs.  That was actually the best day, so far.  I think it's going to 

take a bit for them to settle in, and I'm not sure how much 

oomph several of the girls have left in them.  They will come here 

to join us at Calamity Acres at the end of the summer. 

Yes, I'm in trouble. 

Even if only half are fertile. 

Her fault. 

I have had some help battening down the windows of the little red hen house, where 

I am going to put mama and babies when they are a week old or so. 

That will get them away from the other hens and safe. 

These windows now have extra wire grates on them so raccoons can't get in. 

We used to keep our bantams in this hen house. 

I have a new hen house on order, and the man came to measure the other day... it will go next to the henspa, and these chicks will move in when they are old enough.  They won't be free-ranging for a while, though. 

Going to have to find homes for the roosters, because Ferdie is King here. 

There are still a few cats around here in the old hen house. (six, to be exact) 

Another girl has gone broody, another cochin. 

I am taking the eggs, sorry, girl. 

Every day.  Why I have to pressure wash the porch, IF SPRING EVER COMES. 

This was our Easter Surprise.  I came home from church to sleet but by 

2 PM, it was this.  Most has melted now. 

It is cold and bitter, though, and going down to the teens tomorrow night. 

Next year.... no feeding on the deck. 

Everyone is cold. 

This is just PART of what has been hitting me for the last two weeks. 

They literally ate EVERY piece of feed on the ground... too bad Jax and I 

cleaned it up ten days ago.  I was not bothered during the winter, but the red-winged blackbirds and 

grackles and starlings are back for breeding season. 

There are literally hundreds, they hang about in the trees, chattering, and when I put seed out, come down like the movie The Birds. 

Look who has been with them since last night!

It's a yellow-headed blackbird.  I don't remember seeing any out here in the old days, but I did see them when we lived in our big house. 

I also don't see the Western Meadowlark out here... which I think is kind of odd.

Listen to me, like I have to encourage them. 

I spooned some oatmeal (with mealworms and raisins, YUM) off to the right for Ferdie and the lesser hens. 

It was a good cold day treat.  We are supposed to get really cold tomorrow night, and then it will go back to the 40's.  We should be in the 60's in NE Kansas at this point. 

The goldfinches are starting to display breeding color. 

And so are the house finches.  I have not noticed any house finches with conjunctivitis... we had some at the other house, and it broke my heart. 

As I came back from the Ag this morning, I saw a bunch of little ducks in a pond at the end of my road.  What I would give for a pond!

There were Mergansers and blue-winged Teal.  (going to have to take my word, because I did not have the long lens with me) 

There were also a few geese. 

If you enlargen those pictures, you can see the little ducks. 

Speaking of ducks, I think some will be coming here this spring (when spring comes). 

My two faithful companions are still here, don't worry.  Jester helped me do chores the other night, which was always Lilly's domain. 

And my darling Lilly is maintaining, so far, on medication with her torn ACL.  I know we don't have long.... but I am trying to extra lots of pictures of her these next few weeks. 

Everyone pray for Spring to come for real to our whole country!